Apartment Floor Collapses During Party: Who’s to Blame?

Tenants are denying any culpability after the floor of their converted historic warehouse apartment collapsed under the weight of an estimated 40 partygoers.

According to a news report, at least three people suffered minor injuries in the accident, but because the floor gave way one joist at a time, there was time for most of the partiers to escape unharmed.

One tenant told news reporters that the night’s festivities were immaterial to the collapse, which he blamed on bad construction. It is believed that as many as 50 people were at the apartment that evening.

City officials are looking into possible building code violations, including the possibility that the conversion of the warehouse to a residential unit was not properly inspected and licensed.

While the cause of the collapse is yet to be determined, both landlord and tenant are pointing fingers at one another. The landlord told reporters he did not approve of large, rowdy gatherings, and that he believes the collapse may have been caused by excessive weight and movement.

According to reports, there was no clear sign that the building was structurally unsound. Fire marshalls commented that a collapse of this nature is rare, although landlords often must consider building code restrictions and anticipate problems with tenants bringing in heavy furnishings, or when making upgrades to fixtures like adding a hot tub.

It is not clear whether the building was subject to any specific occupancy limit, or whether the tenant’s actions violated the lease agreement.

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